


Eldritch Emotions

by Yena



Series: Eldritch Emotions [1]
Category: Villainous (Cartoon)
Genre: Character Development, Dark Humor, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, I swear there is a plot, Just immediate smut, Not even eventual smut, Original Character(s), Porn With Plot, Sickfic, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-03-01 16:06:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18803680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yena/pseuds/Yena
Summary: Eldritch - adjectiveel·dritch | \ ˈel-drich  \Strange and/or unnatural to the point of inspiring fear.Black Hat did many things out of sheer boredom: Destroying planets, starting a business, sleeping with a business partner. Somehow, it was the latter that ended up changing his life the most. Emotions were something he hardly considered, but after countless years of suppressing them, boredom and sick curiosity finally won out.And it terrified him.Meanwhile, a mysterious organization lurks in the shadows. It's been a knife in the side of Dianne's business, but this is only the beginning.





	1. Inferno

**Author's Note:**

> I've been debating whether I should upload my writing for months now, and I'm still very tentative about it. I have deleted every single fanfiction I've ever written out of dissatisfaction and embarrassment. I felt a burst of inspiration and confidence so I bit the bullet, but I'd really like to see what people think. Let me know!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is old now and was made before I decided to make it part of something bigger and different from my original idea. I've doctored it and the next few a lot, though, so hopefully they're not awful. Enjoy! :'^)

Dianne _loathed_ this time of year. Twice a year, instincts overrode logic ― overrode _sanity_. A twisted, surging inferno burned inside of her, and the only way to quell the flames was to allow them to consume her. It was painfully paradoxical. Some didn’t mind this natural occurrence, but for Dianne, it was a nuisance that got in the way of her work. She was a very busy demoness with schedules to uphold, underlings to command, and customers to reap rewards from. This only served to throw a wrench in all of that.

So here she was, panting and sweating profusely with her back to the bedroom door. After so many years of this, she’d learned how to hold the urges back for most of the day. Now, the sky was littered with stars that twinkled and danced around the moon in the darkness. Rays of moonlight filtered through the tall window of her bedroom, which she sliced through as she stalked to her nightstand. A clammy, clawed hand grasped the round knob of a drawer and pulled it open. Digging her hand underneath the clutter, she pulled out a black box with a piece of technology literally designed to elicit pleasure. Yet, it wasn’t enough. It was never enough. Sure, she could reach her peak with it, but a mere device couldn’t replace what her body truly craved.

She desired the wanton heat of another body atop hers, flesh caressing flesh and sweat mingling. She wanted to feel cruel claws scraping down her sides and sharp teeth piercing the skin of her throat. But most of all, what her body craved more than anything else was the whole point of the damned state she was in: she wanted to be filled to the brim with seed and claimed.

Dianne stared blankly at the box, unmoving while she pondered. She absolutely refused to give herself to just anyone, and it wasn't because of something as ridiculous as romantic desire, but because she deserved better. Lying with her was a gift, and not one she readily gave out to anyone. There were few beings worthy of her respect and fewer she’d lie with. With a sigh, she moved to take the lid off of the box when one man suddenly came to mind ― her most recent business partner. But he wasn’t just any business partner, they had… a history, to say the least.

With a deep inhale, she put the box back in its place at the bottom of the drawer and closed it. She really didn’t want to do this, but her body eagerly approved of the idea. _Seek him out_ , it urged. Dianne couldn’t resist the temptation any longer. Darkness enveloped her hand, and she clawed at the air in a downwards sweep. A portal opened, and she stepped through it. Once on the other side, it closed. The air was cool, and a light breeze tousled her hair. It felt nice against her burning, sweating skin. Now, she was standing just outside the black iron fence of the odd, hat-shaped manor.

It was clear that a security system was active, as various large weapons kept a vicious watch over the estate. She could’ve called, but there was no way in hell she was going to explain what she needed at this hour over the phone, and it’d be too suspicious to be vague. This was her only option in her hazy mind, but Dianne was confident she could sneak past the system. Her body melded with the darkness until she was encased in it. She slipped through the bars of the fence and slid across the ground in a dark, liquid-esq form.

Once against the side of the manor, she glanced up and spotted a security camera. Dark tendrils slithered up the wall and shoved it skywards. Then, her form turned solid again, though still cloaked in shadows. Dianne climbed the wall until she reached the window. Peering inside, she saw _him_. It was his office, and he was just sitting down in his massive office chair. Her flesh burned then, but she refrained from rushing in with the last of her will. Crawling to the top of the window, she scraped her claws against the glass. Dianne waited several agonizingly long moments, which made her acutely aware of her racing heartbeat. Nothing. She repeated the action, and her keen ears picked up the sound of movement.

Finally, the window flung open. He was looking about with a confused scowl on his face, which was a reasonable reaction. The shadows around her dissipated. It was then she spoke. “Black Hat.” Surprised, he looked up, and their eyes met. Hers were glowing a bright fuchsia, piercing against the dark. He looked even more confused, then.

“Dianne? What in bloody hell are you doing here ― and how did you get past my security system?!” Black Hat asked frantically. Dianne kept her composure, topical as it was. She didn’t move an inch, nor did her gaze waver.

“I am in need of your assistance. It is urgent,” She answered, not feeling that his last question needed answering ― not now, at least. There was a more pressing matter at hand.

“What is it, woman?!” He spat impatiently. It was then she broke their eye contact, claws anxiously gripping onto the brick. She _really_ didn’t want to have to put it into words.

“... May I come in?” Dianne asked, voice slightly tentative now. The answer would reveal itself as soon as she entered, which was much preferred over an explanation. With a sigh, Black Hat backed away from the window. Spinning herself to be upright, she flung herself into the opening and landed on the floor inside. When she rose to stand up straight, the expression of utter shock on his face made her wince. The sickeningly sweet scent of her state had quickly invaded the room. He got his answer.

“You’re in heat?!” Black Hat sounded incredulous.

“Yes,” Was Dianne’s deadpan answer.

“ _That’s_ why you came here in the middle of the night?!”

She huffed, feeling a spark of irritation that surfaced out of self-consciousness. She felt vulnerable, and she hated it. “ _Yes._ Do I have to spell it out for you?” The demoness quipped. But Black Hat grinned then, lips splitting his face to reveal fatally sharp teeth of a sickly green shade. A shiver crept down her spine, but she didn’t let it show.

“No, but I want you to,” He answered teasingly. Dianne gritted her teeth as her irritation grew. To admit what she wanted aloud would only make her feel weaker. She resisted, stepping forwards to grab his tie.

“You know what I’m here for,” She growled, tugging his face closer to hers. His grin didn’t falter, and he didn’t pull away.

“And what is that?” He asked, playing dumb now. His breath was freezing against her hot face. Angrily, she yanked him down to her level and stood on the tips of her toes, crashing her lips into his. She’d forgotten that he was cold-blooded. The action caught him off-guard, but he soon reciprocated with vigor. A shock traveled down her spine, igniting her insides. She moaned into his mouth, and he growled in response. An arm snaked around her hips to pull them into his growing erection while the other moved to comb a clawed hand up through her dark curls and rest behind her head. She could feel his teeth prick her bottom lip, which he easily lapped the blood from with his forked tongue. With a hiss of pain, she gripped onto the back of his neck and kept her hold on his tie.

Dianne flicked her tongue out to meet his, and she tasted the copper from her own blood. Their tongues intertwined in a lewd, twisting dance, which Black Hat was insistent on dominating. Finally, their lips parted, only a strand of drool connecting them. Dianne wiped the crimson stain and saliva alike from her mouth with one hand but didn’t let go of his tie. The two monsters’ eyes were locked. Black Hat was highly amused, but Dianne was not.

“You,” She finally, reluctantly said, breaking eye contact.

“I what?”

“Can you only speak in questions?” She jabbed, not bothering to contain her sass.

“Will you hurry up so I can fuck you?” Another shiver wove its way through her, regardless of her irritation.

 _Nothing is stopping you but your own damned arrogance_ , Dianne seethed, likely loud enough for him to hear. Black Hat chuckled, signalling that he did. Not wanting to waste any more time, she caved into his request. “I want you, intolerable as you are.” She couldn’t have said it without the added insult. He hummed as if in contemplation, so she added, “I came all this way and bypassed your security just to get to you. _Obviously_ , you’re what I want.” She cringed inwardly from hearing that truth aloud, but it was better than hearing it from him. _Did that feed your ego enough?_

 _Yes,_ He answered before picking her up with ease. Black Hat cleared space off of his desk with the sweep of an arm, then slammed her back onto it roughly and moved to be between her legs. Dianne grunted in discomfort, but his hand was around her throat before she could get another quip in. The pressure wasn’t too restricting, but it was enough for his claws to threaten breaking the skin of her neck.

“I won’t be gentle,” He warned, more serious now.

“We’ve done this before, Black Hat. I don’t want ‘gentle’,” Dianne replied, her own hands moving to grasp around his wrists. His rough handling was fanning her flames. Black Hat’s sinister grin returned.

“Good.” Black Hat rumbled lowly. He released his grip on her throat and yanked off his tie before moving to tug off his coat. While he undressed himself, a tight pressure formed around her wrists, and her hands were flung above her head in restraint. Black Hat stopped at his unbuttoned red dress shirt and slacks, now moving his attention onto her. He crept his hands up her shirt, and his sharp claws caught on her skin. Shoving her shirt over her breasts, his hands admired her curves and the silkiness of her fur while he thumbed the hot caramel flesh of her stomach. Dianne writhed from the simple touches and arched her spine, head tossing backwards. She was desperate for touch ― any touch.

“So sensitive,” He commented before removing her spiked collar, which was placed on the far end of the desk. The sight of a large, deep scar slicing across the base of her throat threw him off for a moment. He’d seen it before, but that was half a century ago. Dianne noticed his fixation and averted her eyes. The scar hurt not only aesthetically, but emotionally. She wondered if he thought it made her ugly. Thankfully, Black Hat was quick to pick up where he left off and didn’t comment on it.

He lifted her jacket off, able to do so without releasing her hands. To his surprise, she didn’t have a retort for him. Dianne was absorbed in feeling every sensation he was giving her, finally succumbing to her instincts. Her shirt was next to come off, then her black lace bra. Her breasts were tantalizingly swollen, and her dark nipples only hardened further from the cold air as her body broke out into gooseflesh. Black Hat seized her breasts in an instant and squeezed hard, eliciting a groan from Dianne’s throat. He ground his clothed groin against hers, and the sensation was difficult to derive pleasure from. Still, she could feel the bulge in his slacks that tormented her, feeding into her need.

With a quick brush of his thumbs over her nipples, he moved his hands to the brim of her shorts to pull them off of her legs. After haphazardly tossing them over his shoulder, he pressed a finger against her clothed folds, and she moaned. The dark fabric was already soaked. Black Hat hummed amusedly. “Already wet for me?” He asked, dragging two fingers upwards to circle her clit. Dianne threw her head back and moaned louder now, voice bouncing off the walls of the spacious room. He continued to swirl his fingers lazily around the clothed, sensitive nub. “Hm?” He added, wanting an answer out of her.

“ _Yes,_ ” She moaned out, and Black Hat reveled in the sound. As a reward for her good behavior, he tugged the thin fabric off and discarded it. Then, he brought the fingers back to touch her truly, now. Her soft, wet flesh was absolutely scorching, and Dianne practically screamed when he caressed her clit again. While Black Hat adored being in control, he craved touch just as she did. He relinquished his hold on her hands, which immediately flung outwards to crawl up his bare chest. One draped over his shoulder while the other clutched the back of his neck to coax his face into hers. He obliged, and their lips met again, jaws grinding against one another. His free hand rested flat against the desk beside her head, and his claws dug into its surface when he felt one of her slender fingers drag up the bulge in his pants.

Hastily, Dianne unbuckled his belt and dove her hand into his slacks to free his erection, noting the lack of undergarments. She grasped it fully, rubbing her hand up and down his shaft at a slow pace. Black Hat moaned into her mouth when her thumb caressed the head of his cock, smearing the bead of precum there. He continued pleasuring her all the while, shifting his fingers so that his thumb was on her clit while two fingers slid fully into her slit. Dianne broke their sloppy kiss when she moaned and exposed her throat, which Black Hat eagerly nipped at. The sting of his sharp teeth sent jolts down her spine, and the beads of crimson he elicited were quickly lapped up.

His fingers pumped in and out of her slowly at first, but their pace soon quickened, plunging in roughly now. Her hand picked up its own pace to match, gripping onto his cock with more pressure as it did. He growled into her throat and curled his fingers inside of her, and that threw her over the edge. Dianne screamed, walls tightening around his fingers as she came, drawing more fluids from between her folds. Black Hat grunted from how she squeezed his shaft but didn’t dislike the sensation. He nipped and sucked at her throat more, continuing the sinful motions with his hand to draw out her orgasm.

Finally, Dianne’s body relaxed, and she panted heavily. He withdrew his fingers and lifted himself from her, wrapping his tongue around his soaked digits to taste her fluids. Deciding he wanted more, Black Hat lowered himself between her thighs and lifted one of her legs, claws gripping fiercely onto her flesh. His other hand grabbed her waist, thumbing her stomach. He slowly drew his tongue up between her folds, savoring the taste. She was already moaning again, and he lapped everything up before moving to pleasure her clit with the forked tendril, where she then mewled. Humming, he asked, “Do you like that, kitten?” Black Hat stared directly into those swirling pink slitted eyes.

“Yes, you dog,” She retorted, not appreciating the demeaning nickname. He reared up suddenly at that, slamming his palms down on either side of her head. The sound boomed throughout the room, startling her for just a moment. His expression was clearly displeased. An intense glare quickly replaced the look of surprise on her face.

“I knew you were into fucking dogs,” He spat back with a cheeky grin. That pissed her off, but before she could get a word in, he shoved the head of his cock into her. Even through all of that, he was still freezing cold. Dianne groaned, and Black Hat lowered himself over her, bracing himself against the floor to roughly shove his length further inside of her pussy. She wrapped her arms around his back, digging her claws through his shirt and into his flesh from both burning pain and pleasure. With a groan of his own, he drew his hips back and murmured into her ear, “You’re so _tight_.” He harshly thrusted back inside of her on his last word, fully hilting his cock inside of her hot walls before pulling nearly all the way out. Dianne gritted her teeth and groaned from his roughness. “I’m going to _ravish_ you.” He slammed back in at that with a growl trailing after his words.

Black Hat’s pace was slow at first but brutal in force. Their flesh slapped together lewdly and rhythmically, Dianne’s hips moving in time with his despite the pain. There was still pleasure to be had, and her body was elated with finally being filled. He soon picked up the pace, no longer slamming himself into her. While her moans filled the air around them, Black Hat moved his jaws back to her neck. He bit down hard, and blood flowed from the wounds he gifted her onto the wood and into his awaiting mouth. Dianne screamed in pain, dragging her claws down his back. They left angry red marks, drawing forth his own blood in beads.

“You bastard,” She snarled through pants and groans. Black Hat consumed her lifeblood eagerly, eye rolling in its socket. His hips never ceased their breeding motion, and he wedged a hand under her lower back to strike at her sweet spot over and over again. The intense pleasure he stroked within her was becoming too much, and her legs wrapped around his hips as her toes curled from the stimulation. He felt the oncoming storm and pumped his cock into her with even more vigor, moan melding with hers. With one final scream, the monster took her over the mountain. From blood loss and bliss alike, Dianne’s vision dimmed, and Black Hat rode out her second orgasm with unwavering pumps of his shaft. Her constricted walls and the taste of her blood on his palate brought him over soon after, and his cock throbbed inside her aching pussy to fill her to the brim with his seed until it spilled over onto the floor. He groaned heartily, nudging his hips until the pleasure waned, and they were left spent.

Finally, the fire in her belly had been put out… for now. The only sound to be heard now was the mingled panting from them both. Dianne’s arms slid from around him to go limp at her sides, and she closed her eyes. She felt lightheaded, almost not registering that Black Hat pulled himself out of her, causing more of his green seed to dribble onto the floor. He drank in the sight of her splayed on his desk, long hair fanned out around her head like a dark halo. Blood stained her neck where his bite mark was placed, and beautiful tear lines ran down her cheeks. She looked like a stunning piece of art.

Black Hat scooped up her small, battered body in his arms and sat back in his chair. Her breathing had slowed to a mostly normal pace, and her neck wound had already stopped bleeding ― surely due to her demonic abilities. Had it not been for that, Dianne probably would’ve been furious with him. But her ire was melting away as she sat in Black Hat’s lap, eyes not wanting to open. She felt a warm, slick tendril lap at the remaining blood staining her neck.

Once he’d cleaned all the blood from her, Black Hat pulled her to his chest like a doll and held her there. Dianne rested the side of her head on his shoulder and really took in his scent for the first time. He smelled of musk, as all men did, but the smell intermingled with that of old books and wine pleasantly. Past the scent of her heat, Black Hat was able to marinate on the smell of cinnamon and spices. It was slightly sweet, but also earthy with stronger undertones.

For several minutes, they simply breathed together. The slow, rhythmic rise and fall of Black Hat’s chest was lulling her to sleep. Dianne felt her mind begin to drift into unconsciousness, thoughts becoming blurred and dream-like. However, she forced her eyes open, resistant as they were.

“... I’m gonna fall asleep,” She slurred, pushing herself up to look him in the eyes. Hers were back to their usual stormy blue. “I should go.” Dianne moved to dismount him, but Black Hat’s arms firmed up to keep her there. Surprised, she looked back at him, about to question him when he said,

“Stay.” Black Hat’s gaze was firm, but so was hers.

“I don’t want anyone wondering where I’ve been." She wouldn’t… mind staying otherwise, but she didn’t feel a need to.

“Why?” He asked, nothing but genuine curiosity in his voice. Dianne couldn’t believe he’d even ask her that, and it was apparent in her expression.

“Because I like to keep my private life private. Why do you care if I leave?” She asked back. _You didn't care last time,_ She thought somewhat bitterly. He paused to think for a moment, but he drew a blank. All he knew was that he desired her presence, which was something he couldn’t say for anyone else. He could make her stay, he'd done it to countless others before. He could...

But he didn't.

Unable to answer her question, Black Hat instead asked, “... Will you be back tomorrow night?” He softly ran his claws up through the fur on her back.

Dianne gave him a wary look, noticing that he avoided her question. Still, she answered, “Yes... if you want.” She averted her eyes, then. This was a strange situation she’d gotten herself into.

“I do.” His response was immediate and sure.

“Then it’s a deal.” She leaned in closer. As if to seal it, Black Hat closed the distance between their faces for one last kiss. Really, he just wanted to touch her more knowing that she’d be leaving. Reluctantly, he permitted Dianne to lift herself from him, breaking their kiss. With the lift of a hand and a glance around the dim room, her scattered clothes gathered in her grasp as if drawn magnetically. Black Hat watched her redress from his chair, not bothering to do the same.

Once finished, Dianne tore a portal before her. However, she turned to glance at Black Hat, who stared back with an unreadable expression. With a small nod, she stepped into the portal, which soon disappeared after her. He sat frozen in his chair for several moments, continuing to stare at the space the demoness had occupied before sweeping his gaze to the mess he made. As much as he didn’t want to, he’d have to clean it up to avoid suspicion. At least it was as easy as a snap of his fingers, and his desk space returned to the state it’d been in before she arrived.

With a sigh, Black Hat gathered his clothes like she had before teleporting himself to his room. Tossing the garments in a hamper, he summoned sleepwear from his closet, then collapsed back-first on his bed and stared at the ceiling. A lot had happened that night, and it happened fast, just like their previous entanglement. Only this time, he wanted to hoard her like something valuable. Well, she was in heat; the feeling would wear off. Crawling under the covers, he did something he only recently made a habit of... and went to sleep.


	2. Candlelight

The morning started like any other: he was abruptly woken up by the screeching of his alarm. Grumbling, he rolled over and nonchalantly destroyed it with a laser from his eye. He pulled himself out of bed and shuffled into the master bathroom to shower. Once dry, he stepped back into the bedroom, only somewhat more awake. The closet doors swung open, and his clothes were flung off their hangers to find their place on him. With one quick glance in the full body mirror, Black Hat teleported himself to the kitchen. As per usual, a pot of coffee had already been prepared, and his mug was set out and filled. That damned bear was useful for something, at least.

He’d just taken a sip of the scalding liquid when the door burst open, startling him enough to cause his coffee to slosh onto the floor. A scowl quickly found its place on his face as he whipped around to face the disturbance. It was Dr. Flug, and he looked panicked — more than usual.

“Sir! There’s been—”

“What did I tell you about speaking to me before I’ve had my coffee?!” Black Hat interrupted, voice echoing off the walls. His subordinate shrank away fearfully, despite being on the other side of the room.

“I-I’m terribly sorry sir, but something very concerning showed up on the security cameras last night!” Dr. Flug wrung his hands together anxiously now.

“Like what?” He grumbled, narrowing his eye.

“It’s very difficult to make out. I believe you should take a look, s-sir.” After several tense moments of silent eye contact, Black Hat sighed but moved to follow him to the surveillance room. Dr. Flug sat down in the office chair and pointed at the monitor in question. “This one here.” The footage had been paused on an amorphous black blob. The darkness was only broken by glowing, slitted fuchsia eyes that were staring directly into the camera. Those eyes were familiar ― unmistakable, even ― but Black Hat said nothing.

Dr. Flug hit a button, and the footage played. Tendrils of darkness could be seen creeping up the wall just out of view before the camera was shoved away. Only the night sky could be seen, now. “... That’s it?!” Black Hat growled, ire rising at feeling that his time had been wasted.

“W-Well, I thought you should be made aware...” Dr. Flug weakly defended, shrinking under his boss’ fierce gaze. “It’s quite strange… it didn’t appear to damage anything.” Black Hat was about to berate him when a scraping noise sounded from the footage. His heart sank in his chest; he could not let Flug hear them speaking. Reaching a gloved hand over the doctor’s shoulder, he slammed the pause button, which only confused his subordinate.

“Delete this footage, it’s a waste of space,” Black Hat ordered.

“But sir, shouldn’t we investiga―” Dr. Flug started, but Black Hat grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him to bring their faces uncomfortably close.

“I said delete it! _**Now!!**_ ” He reiterated, voice inhuman and violent. Dr. Flug closed his eyes and cringed.

“Y-Yes boss, right away!” Black Hat dropped him back into the seat and watched him delete the video as instructed.

“And fix the damned security system,” He grumbled in addition.

“Of course, sir!”

With that, Black Hat teleported from the room to return to the kitchen. The rest of the day was filled with a normal amount of abnormalities. It all felt like a blur to him, really, as it was difficult for him to focus on anything. His thoughts kept drifting back to her, and he ruminated on how she smelled, how she tasted, how she felt. He barely managed to work at his desk where they’d copulated, and he was frustrated that he had to remove every trace of her being there. It was then Black Hat decided that tonight, it would be different.

The night had finally arrived, and he waited anxiously for her to appear. It was roughly the same time as the last when a portal was torn into the very air, and she stepped into his office. However, a brief sweep of the room revealed that it was vacant. Dianne narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Was he plotting something? Not wanting to draw the attention of his subordinates, she stalked silently through the darkness into a corridor. She noted the abundance of self-portraits, all of which she felt were watching her. The darting of a shadow in her peripherals made her whirl around and take on a defensive posture. She was certain she was being not only watched but followed.

 _I’m not here to play games, Black Hat,_ She projected. To her surprise, she received an answer:

 _I am._ A large hand grabbed her by the torso and lifted her into another room. She wasn’t one to scream in fear, but it certainly startled her. Dianne was now face-to-face with the man of the hour, who was grinning at her with hands held behind his back. From his back sprouted the dark limb that had her in its grasp now. It released her and disappeared. Now, the two merely stared at one another for a few moments. With a snap of his fingers, the door swung closed behind her.

Dianne broke their eye contact to observe the room she was in. It was the master bedroom ― _his_ bedroom. The lights were off, the only sources of light being numerous candles scattered about. She had to admit that it was a nice ambiance.

“Back for more?” Black Hat asked teasingly, finally breaking the silence. Dianne’s eyes returned to him.

“Yes, as promised,” She answered matter-of-factly. Black Hat stepped forwards and reached forth a hand to sweep her bangs from her face, claws caressing her skin. His touch sparked at her flesh; she closed her eyes and leaned into it, desperate for it. He slid his hand under her chin to lift it and lowered his face to hers. Dianne closed the distance, and their lips met. Their dance was a slow one, unlike last time. Her hands slid up his chest to wrap around the back of his neck, while his free arm curled around the curve of her back to pull her close. His tongue lapped at her bottom lip, requesting permission to enter. She expected him to bite it again, but the sting never came. She granted him access, and his tongue delved into her mouth. Their tongues swirled and tangled together, and Dianne was surprised he didn’t try to dominate the kiss. She liked the change of pace, though, so she’d go along with it.

Their lips parted with a peck, and Black Hat propped her leg up to lift her. He laid her down on his bed, where he straddled her. She tugged off his tie, and he shrugged off his coat before moving to unbuckle his belt and remove it entirely. As she worked to rid him of his clothes, she wondered how he could stand to be in formal wear all day every day. Dianne just wanted them off already.

Sensing her frustration, Black Hat asked, “Impatient, are we kitten?” His lips spread into a wide grin, ego being stroked nicely.

Huffing, she decided to ignore the pet name and replied, “Yes. Why do you wear so many layers?” All that was left now was to unbutton his crimson dress shirt.

“An evil mastermind must look the part,” Was his answer, being one to prioritize his image. Finally, his chest was bared to her. She raked her claws up his warm flesh with moderate pressure, then dragged them back down, flattening her palms against his abdomen. Black Hat watched her with fascination under a lidded eye, taking pleasure from not just her touch but her fixation. He didn’t understand why he desired her attention, but it felt magnificently pleasant, not unlike fulfilling lust. He wouldn’t question it, not now.

Now, he was overcome with a want to touch her back. Black Hat removed her collar, tossing it onto his nightstand. His eyes were still captured by the scar on her throat as if it demanded his attention. Still, he didn’t dwell on it, instead leaning in to hover his lips over the crook of her neck. His mark was still visible, but faded. Her arms slid to wrap around his back where the faint reminders she left from their previous entanglement remained.

Black Hat could hear the faint rushing of blood through her veins, eliciting drool from past his lips. It was whispering to him, drawing him nearer still until his teeth finally pricked her flesh. Dianne gritted her teeth and gripped him harder but did not protest. His tongue swept up the crimson pearls, and he savored how the taste mingled with the salt of her sweat. Sitting up, he pulled her jacket off of her and tossed it to the far end of the bed, doing the same with her shirt. With her stomach exposed, Black Hat ran his palms up and down the heated flesh, not unlike how she had to him moments before. Dianne closed her eyes to relish his petting.

After tugging her shorts off, he bent down so his tongue laid flat against the hem of her underwear, hands grasping her sides. She squirmed as he teased her with its close proximity to her sex, to his enjoyment. Slowly, he dragged the forked tendril up her stomach until it met her bra, which he bit into with a growl. Unlatching it, Black Hat pulled it off of her and tossed it elsewhere, forgotten. Returning to her swollen breasts, he lapped at one, rimming around the nipple teasingly. Dianne whined and arched into his mouth, begging for more of its touch.

“Quit teasing,” She panted.

“Only if you say it nicely, _pet,_ ” Black Hat murmured, continuing to skirt around what she wanted. She tossed her head back and closed her eyes, emitting a whine. She loathed his insistence on degrading her.

“Please...” Dianne begged softly.

“‘Please’ what?” He pushed, moving his tongue away from her breast to lick lazily at her sternum.

“I want you to pleasure me, Black Hat… _please,_ ” She elaborated, opening her eyes to gaze desperately into his. Black Hat hummed, satisfied. Complying with her request, he moved back to her breast, flicking briefly at its perked nipple with his tongue before engulfing it with his mouth. His tongue now stroked the sensitive nub while his other hand squeezed and fondled the adjacent breast. Dianne mewled, and a shiver shot down her spine. Black Hat switched, now working to pleasure her other breast equally with his sinful mouth. Her soft moans and whimpers did not go unnoticed. Finally, he released her, sitting up to take in her thoroughly aroused expression while knowing that he was the cause of it.

Since she was being so good, Black Hat trailed a finger down her belly to hook onto her underwear and tug it off of her legs. The air was cold against her hot folds, which only served to arouse her further. He slowly lowered his face to be between her legs, giving her wet folds one long, upwards lick that trailed up to her nub. Dianne squealed, feeling a shock of pleasure as if electrified. His tongue slithered into her opening, shoving her walls apart to make room before writhing within her. Meanwhile, he massaged her clit with two fingers at a moderate pace. Her moans were voluminous now, a sweet melody played just for him.

His fingers increased in their vigor, sending pleasure up her spine in steady waves that built upon each other until she finally came, waves washing over her entire body. More of her juices flooded onto Black Hat’s tongue, which he then retracted. His fingers helped Dianne ride out her pleasure before he brought them to his mouth to be tasted thoroughly.

“Now, it’s your turn,” He said, standing straight to unbutton his trousers and free his hardened cock. Stifling them in his pants for so long was agonizing but made his arousal reach that much higher. Black Hat motioned with a finger for her to sit up, and Dianne obeyed, rising to sit on her knees. He brushed her hair from her face, sliding his hand to hold the back of her head; she got the message. Grasping his shaft, she gave it several long pumps before licking the precum from the pointed tip. He shivered. Then, she slipped his head into the warmth of her mouth. He wasn’t too girthy, fortunately for her small size. He inhaled deeply, closing his eye to indulge in the sensation.

Dianne took more of him in, able to fit about half of his cock in her mouth. Her hand stroked the base in sync while she rhythmically bobbed her head. Black Hat groaned, hand tightening in her thick locks. He opened his eyes to watch her work. “Good girl,” He praised, and she gave him several more strokes before retracting her mouth, panting lightly. Dianne peered up him with a fuchsia gaze dripping with desire.

“Where do you want it now?” Black Hat asked with an angular grin, hand sliding down her cheek to grasp her chin. He wanted to hear her say it.

She knew exactly what game he was playing, but she didn’t mind it. From under lidded eyes, she murmured, “I want it right in my pussy, _Black Hat._ ” Her hand tightened around his cock at the utterance of his name.

He groaned before whispering, “As you wish.” Black Hat crawled atop her, face at the column of her throat to push her head aside and into the sheets. He kissed at the side of her neck and released a feral growl, chest vibrating against hers. Dianne’s arms slid around his back, and his shaft ground against her wet mound. Unable to resist the desire to re-establish his mark, he slowly bit into her neck over the old wound. She mewled from the combined pain and pleasure, claws digging into his flushed grey flesh.

Greedily consuming the metallic liquid that greeted him, Black Hat slid his cock into her slit. Dianne gasped as her walls were stretched, and he wasted no time in thrusting deeper. Her body sank into the dark sheets with each shove of his hips, smothering them in her scent. Sitting up and holding her sides, he watched her blood soak into the fabric. A moan was drawn past her lips with each pump of his shaft, and his gaze was now fixated on how her breasts bounced. The candlelight illuminated her curvaceous form in warm shades, leaving shadows that were just as beautiful. All of his senses were alight with nothing but her, and he relished it, determined to burn this moment into his mind.

Their hips collided several more times before Black Hat suddenly withdrew himself from her. He had an idea. Dianne panted and peered up at him curiously, whining from the absence of his girth inside of her. Oh, how sweet the sound was. Dragging a pillow nearer, he ordered, “On your stomach.” Desperate to be filled again and fueled by feral need, she obeyed his command wordlessly. Her stomach rested on the cloth, legs hanging off of his bed with her thin tail raised invitingly. “Good girl,” Black Hat purred, caressing her hips before dragging his hands down to her supple cheeks. They were blanketed in a layer of silken spotted fur, and Dianne writhed impatiently under his touch.

He drew a hand back and struck a cheek with great force, and a satisfying crack sounded, bouncing off the walls. She screamed, then breathed out, “ _Fuck…_ ” A glare was sent over her shoulder, but Black Hat only reveled in it. Chuckling, he finally crawled back over her, guiding his shaft between her folds and into her slick entrance. Dianne sighed in relief, and Black Hat rested both his arms on either side of her head, palms flat on the mattress.

His hips pulled back to shove his cock into her perfectly again and again, length rhythmically stroking her sweet spot at this new angle. Her moans reached a new octave, and she buried her face in the sheets. Tears pooled in her eyes, which squeezed shut from the pleasure. Black Hat sensed her getting close and picked up his pace, and their flesh slapped together lewdly as he did. The pressure in her belly grew and grew until it spilled over, and Dianne screamed blissfully, the sound becoming muffled from the sheets. She tightened around him, and he straightened up to grasp her hips. The monster gave several more vigorous thrusts, desperate to achieve the bliss he craved. Black Hat finally came, seed spilling into her cavern with a low moan. He kept his hips planted against hers while he continued to fill her, nudging them to ride out his intense orgasm.

Finally, his motions stilled, and he panted along with her for several long moments. Her body had gone limp from fatigue. Black Hat pulled his cock out of her and watched his verdant cum trickle down onto the floor. Dianne rolled onto her side, eyes closed while her lungs worked to catch her breath. He tossed his pillow back into its rightful place and scooped her up in his arms much like he had last night, moving to sit on his bed with his back angled against the headboard. Her arms wrapped around his torso, head resting on his chest with fuchsia eyes barely peeking open. Slowly, they faded to a familiar serene blue.

They came down from their highs together, minds returning to order that had been lost in the chaos of desire. Dianne’s eyes closed again, and she very much wanted to sleep right then and there. Once he caught his breath, Black Hat murmured, “Who gave you that scar?” The question was completely unexpected, and Dianne lifted her head to stare him in the eyes. His hands tightened their grip, emphasizing that he demanded to know the answer.

Averting her eyes, she answered, “... It doesn’t matter.” Black Hat opened his mouth to protest when she added, “He’s dead, I killed him.” Her solemn gaze on nothing in particular did not waver as suppressed memories floated to the forefront of her mind. Suppressed emotions followed. Not even the sweetest revenge could heal the scars he left on her, and she’d have to wear them forever.

“Good,” Black Hat replied, grip relaxing. If the cretin weren’t already dead, he’d have made sure he would be. He brushed her cheek with a thumb, rousing Dianne from her thoughts. “How much longer will your heat last?”

“One more day,” She supplied, gaze now fixed on him again. After tomorrow, they could go back to normal and pretend none of this ever happened… but part of her didn’t want to. Of course, she had a decent libido even outside of her heat, but it felt deeper than that. Dianne… _enjoyed_ being held like she was now ― more than she ever would’ve thought before and leagues more than she’d ever admit. Frankly, she was surprised Black Hat didn’t just leave her lying in a heap. This… gentleness was something she didn’t think he was even capable of, being the cruel, violent creature he was. He was still an evil being to the core, there was no denying that, but perhaps he was more complex than she initially thought. Too tired to hold herself up any longer, Dianne lowered her face to rest her cheek on his shoulder, breath light on his neck.

“... I want to keep doing this even after your heat is over,” Black Hat concluded aloud, lazily gazing down at her. A hand had been stroking her side on its own accord, and he didn’t stop it.

“Me too,” Dianne slurred, eyes peeking open to peer up at him for just a moment before they closed again. She was absolutely exhausted and didn’t want to move an inch. His petting only further persuaded her to stay put. The world was fading from her mind, and the only thing that still registered was his feather-light touch. Eventually, even that left her, and her mind floated away into unconsciousness.

When she next awakened, it was to a strange grating sound, thought it didn’t last long. She stretched her limbs with a soft moan, and it was then she realized she was spooning something… _firmer_ than usual. It felt like it was spooning her, as well. Reluctantly, Dianne’s eyes opened, and a blurry grey figure focused into that of Black Hat, who was grinning lightly down at her Interestingly, he was in nightwear. When did he put that on?

“Wake up, kitten,” His gravelly voice murmured. She felt a clawed hand brush the messy hair from her face. Drowsily, she sat up, eyes squinting from the light. It was then she realized it, eyes widening. Her heart sank in her chest.

“Shit… Why didn’t you wake me up last night, you ass?” Dianne chided, combing stray hairs back with her fingers. Black Hat chuckled mischievously.

“Because I didn’t want to,” Black Hat answered vaguely. He knew she’d be displeased with him in the morning. That entertained him in itself, but more prominently, he didn’t want to let go of her. Even though he’d gotten what he wanted, he still didn’t want her to leave.

Huffing, she gave him an unamused stare, then flipped the covers off of herself and scooted to the edge of the bed. After popping her spine, she rose to stand. Black Hat knew there was no convincing her to stay longer, which was probably for the best. He instead settled on taking in her bare form before it was slowly concealed by clothing again. Once finished, she turned towards him, and he stood up. Black Hat hooked an arm around her waist, then the other, pulling her in to give her a parting kiss. Dianne wrapped her own around his shoulders, returning the kiss with fervor.

When their lips parted, he asked under lidded eyes, “I’ll see you tonight?”

“Yes,” She answered before pulling away, and reluctantly, Black Hat let her. Turning around, Dianne opened a portal and stepped through. The portal closed, and he was left alone again. He dragged himself into the bathroom, and so began his monotonous routine.

When Dianne returned home, she promptly got herself ready, hopping into the shower and changing into fresh clothes. After applying a touch of makeup, she stepped out of her room to make her way to her office. Just as she was going to sit down, someone entered the room: Cyril, her butler. He was mindful enough to stick to the far end of the room.

“It’s unlike you to be late, Lady Dianne. Are you feeling well?” He asked, worry laced in his voice. Dianne glanced at the clock for the first time this morning to find that she was an hour late. The bastard got up an hour after she did.

Looking back at Cyril, she answered, “Yes, I’m fine, nothing to be concerned about. I’m just a bit tired is all.” Dianne knew she didn’t need to elaborate, as her current state was clear as day. She took her seat, and Cyril nodded.

“Of course, my lady. If there is anything you need, please let me know,” He said, and she could tell he was still concerned. She just hoped he wasn’t also suspicious of her.

“I will,” Dianne replied absentmindedly, already becoming absorbed in her work. With a bow, Cyril swiftly left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This used to be one of my favorite pieces of writing. Now I cringe, cringe! I've changed quite a bit about it, but you get the gist! I love comments, so feel free to tell me what you think so far.


	3. Fireplace

When the final night of her heat fell, she entered Black Hat’s office via portal as per usual. It became a habit at this point. Dianne hadn’t noticed that the monster she was looking for was already there until he stood from his chair. She instinctively whirled around, alarmed. However, her posture relaxed when she saw the infamous Black Hat’s mischievous grin, ironic as that was.

He approached her, and she wittily asked, “So you have the courtesy to greet me this time?” Wordlessly, Black Hat embraced her, leaning down to capture her lips. Dianne reciprocated and closed her eyes, grasping him desperately. He pulled her hips to his own and ground his clothed erection against her, eliciting a moan past her lips and into his mouth. Electricity shot up her spine from their friction, and she pressed herself into him further. Black hat slipped his tongue into her mouth, where their tongues writhed together eagerly.

When they finally parted and Dianne opened her eyes, she was puzzled to see a green glow on Black Hat’s face. With a quick glance around, she realized they were no longer in his office but some kind of lounge with a green fireplace.

She didn’t have long to ponder on it, as she was shoved backwards into an armchair. Dianne gripped the arms and glared at him, hissing, “Don’t manhandle me like I’m one of your subordinates.”

Crawling atop her, Black Hat leaned his face in close and murmured, “Tonight, you are my subordinate.” His breath was hot on her face, and Dianne glanced away, frustrated that she found herself agreeing.

“For tonight...” She mumbled. It was the only thing she could say to piece together what was left of her crumbled self-esteem from this… arrangement. He appeared amused just knowing she had no retort from what she could see out of her peripherals. Black Hat unlatched her collar and carelessly tossed it aside, moving his lips to suck around his mark on her neck. Dianne leaned her head back and closed her eyes to indulge in the sensation, arms wrapping around his back. His forked tongue lapped at the wound while sinful hands worked to unbutton and unzip her high-waisted shorts. He lifted himself off of her and stood on the floor again to tug them off, along with her underwear. At least he wasn’t wasting her time tonight.

Dianne had a moment to better survey her surroundings and was unnerved by the numerous large paintings of Black Hat that watched her, unblinking. They were all self portraits ― every last one. He was even more full of himself than she previously thought. Having pride in oneself was one thing; she had plenty of that, but this was too much even for her.

“Have enough self portraits?” She asked, staring the largest one down while Black Hat lowered himself between her legs.

“I never have enough,” He replied, grin ever-present on his face. His breath caressed her womanhood, and Dianne shivered. Soon enough, his warm, wet tongue pressed against her folds, easily drawing a soft moan from her when it drew upwards to her clit. It wallowed around on her sensitive nub, and she mewled. Her claws threatened to tear the fabric on the arms of the chair while her back arched into his touch. A slender finger entered her slit to prepare her, then another, and they slid in and out of her tight entrance with ease. More of her fluids greeted him, and he lapped it up, eyes trained on her face to relish in how he caused the esteemed Dianne’s calm exterior to shatter. He shoved her arousal higher and higher until she crested, and her toes curled from the pleasure.

When her body relaxed, Black Hat stood up to undo his belt and slacks, finally freeing his erection. He rid her of the rest of her clothes with haste, and his eagerness did not go unnoticed. She was then scooped up in his arms, and Dianne gave him a puzzled look. She wrapped her legs around his waist while he took them elsewhere, arms hooking around his shoulders. Suddenly, her back was slammed into a wall, and she grunted from the force. Dianne dug her claws into his suit, successfully irritated with all his roughhousing.

“You’re too damn rough with your subordinates,” She complained.

“I thought you liked it rough,” Black Hat cheekily replied, though he did have a point — now that she thought on it, she said she didn’t want him to be gentle on their first night… but then she remembered last night. He was certainly not as gentle as he could’ve been, and that was fine and well, but there were tender moments even while they copulated. It was then Dianne realized she… did want him to be gentle. She wanted to feel more of what she felt when he held her, when he caressed her and kissed her tenderly. Christ, was she going soft in the head? There was no way Black Hat of all creatures would even consider such a request.

The feeling of his cock’s head against her entrance roused Dianne from her thoughts. “Somewhat,” She murmured dismissively, eyes downcast. She didn’t want to say any more on the subject. Black Hat hummed, knowing her well enough to tell that she wasn’t giving him the full truth.

Bringing his mouth to her ear, he murmured, “Then tell me what you want.” His tongue lapped at the shell of her ear, and he kept his shaft at her entrance, sliding his hands down her hips to caress her cheeks while he waited for a response.

“That,” Dianne spoke up. “I want more of that.” Black Hat pulled back to look her in the eyes with a confused expression, so she elaborated, though she found it difficult to maintain eye contact: “Just… touch me. Kiss me.” Tentatively, she looked back at him, and he closed the space between their faces to kiss her as requested. It was much slower than before but still filled with passion.

Black Hat pulled her hips downwards while their jaws ground together, and his cock finally slid into her. Dianne moaned into his mouth and grasped the back of his head. When he was fully hilted, he kept her there for a moment to comb his fingers up through the fur on her sides. Their lips parted, and he asked, “This?” His voice was unnaturally genuine and soft, as was the way he looked at her.

“Yes,” She answered, breathless. Black Hat moved his lips to the crook of her neck, which Dianne exposed further to him. He pulled himself out of her slowly, kissing and sucking at the delicate flesh there. Then, his length slammed into her with vigor, and she moaned through the twisted pain and pleasure. Black Hat developed a moderate pace, pulling her down onto his cock with each eager thrust; and yet, he never broke her flesh, even when his dangerously sharp teeth nibbled at her throat. Dianne’s moans echoed off of the walls, and it drove him on, encouraging his hips to slam faster against hers, his cock hilting each and every time. Black Hat moaned lightly into her throat, closing his eyes while he indulged in the pleasure he derived from feeling her, hearing her, smelling her.

Dianne let out a mewl, and he knew he hit her sweet spot. After a few more perfect thrusts, Black Hat stilled his motions, backing off of the wall. She glared at him, and he chuckled. Of course he would still be an ass. He backed up a few paces, earning her curiosity. Suddenly, Black Hat fell backwards, landing in the armchair. His cock slammed into her cervix, and she yelped in pain; a beautiful sound. Leaning back in his chair, Black Hat began to thrust frantically, eager to finish. Dianne felt the same, meeting every shove of his hips with her own.

She pressed her forehead into his, their breath intermingling. Her moans transformed into mewls as she got closer and closer, and she breathed out his name. Black Hat brought his hand between them to rub at her swollen nub, and Dianne came immediately, burying her face in his neck while the shock waves ran their course through her body. Her tense walls milked his shaft, and he came soon after her. Black Hat gave several shallow bucks as he shot ropes of his seed inside of her and tilted his head back with a groan.

Dianne collapsed on top of him, and Black Hat pulled himself out of her. She shifted her weight onto one hip, kissing and nipping at his neck. “You didn’t even let me undress you this time,” She murmured, pulling back to undo his tie. “I thought I was supposed to be the desperate one.” He sat up and chuckled. When he peered into her eyes, they were blue again.

“I was thinking about how I would take you all day,” Black Hat murmured in response, claws combing up through the fur on her back again. Dianne felt her face flush, unsure of what to say to that. Was he trying to be flattering? The sliver of a grin on his face only grew.

“You’re terrible at this whole ‘pillow talk’ thing,” She bluntly commented, moving on to unbuttoning his waistcoat.

“Then what do you want me to say?” He asked.

“‘How was your day?’ is a good start,” Dianne suggested, now unbuttoning his shirt.

“Fine. How was your day?” Black Hat complied.

“It was decent, but dealing with other demons is like swatting away flies when you’re in heat,” She answered, pleasantly surprised he actually asked.

“Did they touch you?” He asked in return, hands stopping in their tracks. When she looked up at him, his expression had turned serious.

“No. My underlings aren’t that stupid, thankfully.” Dianne finally finished peeling back all his layers of clothing. Her hands roved over his bare chest, and he watched her with interest. His hands resumed their own touches, one now twirling a curly lock of her hair. “How was your day?” She asked in return.

“Chaotic. It’s always chaotic in this house,” Black Hat answered. His voice sounded weary, then. Dianne hummed, not sure of what to say — it wasn’t like he wanted or needed comforting.

“You sound like you need a vacation,” She said, deciding that being as blunt as possible was best with him.

“I’m considering it,” He mumbled.

Dianne’s eyelids were beginning to feel heavy. She leaned down to rest her head on his chest and closed her eyes, listening to the slow beating of his heart while her arms wrapped around his torso. The hand that was intertwined with her hair now moved to scratch lightly at the back of her head. He was doing a damn good job at lulling her to sleep. That reminded her of something.

“I won’t be coming tomorrow night,” She informed him, mumbling from drowsiness.

“Why not?” Black Hat sounded disappointed.

“I have a lot of work to catch up on,” Dianne explained, too tired to elaborate or even open her eyes. Surely, he understood why.

“Then at least stay the night,” He insisted.

“I will.”

Black Hat summoned her clothes in his hand, then transported them to his bed. Dianne hardly registered the change. He set her clothes onto his nightstand before pulling the covers back and peeling her off of him to set her under the covers beside him. With the snap of his fingers, his clothes were in the hamper, and his nightwear flew from the closet to replace them. Dianne’s eyes had opened just enough to witness this, but she didn’t feel like commenting on it. Inwardly, she considered bringing her own nightwear if this was going to become a regular thing.

Black Hat settled in under the covers himself, turning on his side to face her. She wrapped her arms around him and let her eyes fall closed again, completely ready to sleep. He weaved his own arms through Dianne’s to hold her and watched her fondly for a few moments. It was so foreign for him to appreciate such a thing, but Black Hat decided he could get used to this. This was… pleasant. He closed his tired eyes, soon drifting off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much surgery here. This one's shorter than I thought, but that's probably because it's a two-parter!


	4. Shower

A grating onslaught of beeps roused the pair from its slumber. Black Hat twisted his head 180 degrees with a sickening crack to silence the alarm with a laser. Dianne inhaled sharply and stretched out her limbs, jaws parting in a yawn. Her eyes opened, but she was reluctant to move, instead settling on drowsily peering at Black Hat’s face. He gazed back with a lazy smirk.

“Good morning,” He greeted. It was strange to hear coming from him.

“Morning…” She mumbled, words giving way to another yawn. Black Hat leaned in to kiss her then, and a hand strayed to roughly squeeze one of her cheeks. Dianne moaned, jolting in surprise. They separated, and she appeared somewhat more awake.

“You’re not in much of a hurry,” Black Hat observed. Dianne huffed.

“I already set that precedent yesterday, thanks to _someone,_ ” She accused. He chuckled mischievously.

“In that case, why don’t you stay a bit longer?” He asked, flinging the covers back to step out of bed. Dianne gave him a wary look, but before she could ask what he was plotting, Black Hat picked her up. With one arm supporting her thighs and the other her back, he carried her into the adjacent master bathroom. It was then the ache in her cervix really became apparent, and she winced slightly. _Brute._ He laughed.

Black Hat sat down on the closed toilet with her resting on his lap. A snap of his fingers turned the shower on hot, and Dianne preoccupied herself with undoing the buttons of his nightshirt. When she finished, he shrugged it off and allowed the shirt to fall to the floor. She wondered if he’d remove his hat, which led to wondering what was underneath it. Once the water began to steam, Dianne stood up, and Black Hat mirrored her. He dropped his pants, leaving his entire body bare to her for the first time. She eyed him expectantly, but of course, his hat remained firmly on his crown. Strangely, he didn’t remove his monocle, either. Now that she thought about it, he did sleep in the thing. It seemed he had his own insecurities to hide — or maybe there was more to it.

His crescentic grin only widened under her scrutiny, and Dianne rolled her eyes, turning around to step into the shower. Soreness blossomed from her womanhood with each step, but she masked the pain. Black Hat followed, closing the clear door behind him. Dianne’s muscles relaxed under the stream of hot water, and she closed her eyes with a light sigh. Cool hands snaked around her waist, sliding up her stomach to fondle her breasts while Black Hat pressed himself flush against her back. Dianne opened her eyes with an unamused expression, glaring at him from her peripherals. He swept her hair aside to place a bite on the crook of her neck, refreshing his mark. She hissed, grasping his arm to dig her claws into it while his sharp teeth sank into the divots they left before. Blood trickled down her body in thin crimson rivulets and swirled down the drain.

Dianne found it odd he still felt the need to mark her when her heat was over now. “Possessive, are we?” She asked, gritting her teeth when he wrenched his out of her neck.

Black Hat lapped at the wound tenderly before replying, “Yes. You’re mine now — never forget that.” Dianne shivered upon hearing those words, but she wasn’t opposed to the prospect; she didn’t plan on bringing anyone else into the equation. Still, she didn’t know what to say to that, so she said nothing. Her silent compliance was good enough for him. Black Hat nibbled her ear, squeezing a breast with one hand while the other slid down her stomach to her womanhood. But to his disappointment, Dianne did not writhe and moan under his sinful touch — not anymore.

“Can’t you control yourself for five minutes?” Was what he got instead.

“Not with a piece of art before me,” He purred, planting a kiss on his mark before trailing more up her neck to her jaw. Dianne closed her eyes and lifted her chin to indulge in his soft kisses. When she opened them, she blushed and glanced away from him.

“Flatterer,” She mumbled, to his amusement. Black Hat decided not to pester her further and finally released her. He grabbed a dark washcloth and lathered it with soap while Dianne peered at him coldly from the corner of her eye. Softly, he rubbed the cloth along her unmarred shoulder, slowly dragging it down her arm to her lithe fingers. He massaged each one, and she watched him do so from beneath heavy lids, both surprised and mesmerized by the meticulous motions. Sliding the cloth up the underside of her arm, he glided it over her pit and down her side. Black Hat repeated this on her other side, minding his mark.

He then pressed himself against her again, wrapping an arm around her waist. His touch was chaste now as he caressed her stomach in slow, soothing circles that prompted Dianne’s eyes to close. Black Hat slathered her throat in sloppy kisses while he dragged the cloth up to her chest, dipping beneath a breast before grasping it fully. He repeated this for the other, then slid his hand down to her thigh, exploring its inner side before switching to the adjacent one. Black Hat was nipping at her jaw now, and the cloth glided over her womanhood, cleaning up the mess he made.

He pulled back again, and Dianne turned around to face him. She leaned in to peck him on the lips and drowsily rested her cheek against his chest, laying a hand beside it. Sweeping her curtain of hair aside, Black Hat rubbed her back in long strokes, feeling the ridges of her spine and the blades of her shoulders through the thin layer of fur. He watched her all the while as if in a trance, indulging in exploring her form and sharing her relaxed state. Eventually, he stopped, and Dianne peeled herself off of him to peer into his eyes. They both stared at one another in silence for several heartbeats.

Then, Dianne stepped back to grab the washcloth from him. She lathered it further before leaning in again, this time to nibble and lick at his throat in turn. Black Hat lifted his chin and continued to peer down at her, watching with interest. She grasped the back of his head with her free hand while the other roved his back, where it glided easily over his smooth skin. Dianne returned the sensual cleansing he’d given her, riding the lean muscle of his arm down to his clawed hand. While she massaged his palm, she planted a kiss on his jawline, then moved to suck on his Adam’s apple. She rinsed and repeated for his other arm with just as much diligence.

Her clothed hand slid over his chest and down to his firm abdomen where it explored the faint hills and valleys of his abs. It finally dipped down to one thigh, then the other, dancing around his manhood. There was a glint of mischief in Dianne’s eye when she wrung the washcloth out and hung it up. Black Hat returned her glance with a forming grin. She finally grasped his length and stroked it slowly, fully pulling his skin back. Her lips hovered over his like a whisper, and he moaned softly. Black Hat leaned in for a kiss and slid his hands around her waist... but Dianne slipped out of his grasp and released him, coyly peering over her shoulder. He gawked at her, slack-jawed in.

“This was nice, but I have to go,” She said, her tone serious. Black Hat collected himself, though he still appeared disgruntled. He grumbled something under his breath, and she smirked — a rare sight. Dianne stepped out of the shower, and he shut the water off. “Nice” was an understatement; exiting the shower was like waking up from a dream. It was nothing short of incredible. Dianne was shaken from her thoughts when a chill overcame her, prompting her to grab a towel and wrap it around herself. Black Hat exited the shower to do the same. She wrung her hair out in the sink and proceeded to dry herself off.

Once sufficiently dry, Dianne went back into the bedroom to redress. Black Hat followed soon after, and the closet doors flung open for his clothes to fly at him. Just like that, he was dressed, though she gave him an unimpressed look. Showoff. Dianne snapped her collar on, finally dressed, herself. She walked up to Black Hat, who appeared to be waiting to see her off. She rested her hands on his shoulders, and he rested his around her back.

“When will you be back?” He asked.

Dianne thought about her answer for a moment before answering, “I’m not sure… probably a few days.” Black Hat did not visibly react, but he was inwardly distraught upon hearing that, which surprised him. She wasn’t in heat anymore, so why did he still feel so… attached? He’d sufficiently claimed and marked her, yet he still ached at the thought of not seeing her for a few days. What the hell was wrong with him?

“Call me when you know,” Black Hat ordered.

“Of course,” Dianne replied. He bent down to kiss her then, and she closed the distance between their faces. Black Hat pulled her in closer, greedy for more of her touch before she left. Eventually, their lips separated, and he reluctantly let her slip from his hold again. Dianne would be lying if she said she wasn’t also reluctant to part ways. She wanted to spend more time with him not just for sex but to enjoy his soft touches, even just… _talk_ more. Hell, even his annoyance was becoming somewhat endearing. Maybe she was finally beginning to lose her mind.

But now, it was time for her to take her leave. Dianne turned around, teasingly flicking her tail under Black Hat’s chin. After giving him one last sly glance, she tore open a portal and walked through it. He watched the portal close, standing still as if frozen for a moment. But he too had work to do, so he shook himself from his stupor and straightened his tie. Black Hat engulfed himself in shadows, teleporting into the kitchen. He took a sip of the coffee set out for him and mentally prepared himself for his daily dose of chaos.

After changing into a fresh set of clothes and perfuming herself, Dianne left her own bedroom. However, she was intercepted by someone as soon as she set foot outside of it: Cyril. She was startled by his sudden appearance but quickly regained her composure.

“There you are. I was becoming concerned about your whereabouts. Is everything alright?” He said, and she felt her heart rate pick up. What could she possibly say to cover this up? He was already clearly suspicious of her.

“Apologies. Yes, everything is fine,” Dianne assured him the same as yesterday, wanting to gloss over this and get to work like normal. But Cyril didn’t move an inch.

“Would you like to explain, or shall I start asking questions?” He asked, and she sighed.

“Nothing gets past you, does it, Cyril?” She asked with a faint smile, attempting to deflect the conversation. But he said nothing, waiting expectantly for her explanation. Dianne took a deep breath, not sure how she should even start. _I was… with Black Hat,_ She said, sending the message telepathically to ensure it was private. Cyril’s eyes widened in shock, and she cringed at the reaction.

 _While you were in heat?_ He asked incredulously.

 _… Yes,_ Dianne hesitantly affirmed. She struggled to maintain eye contact.

 _What does this mean? What will come of this?_ Cyril bombarded, leaning in with concerned interest. She rigidly stood her ground.

_I don’t know, but he wants me to come back. I don’t think it means anything. Nothing has changed between us professionally—_

_Yet,_ He interjected. Dianne felt a prick of defensive irritation, but the only outwards indication of it was the slight flicking of her tail tip. It didn’t go unnoticed. _Do you not see the trouble this could cause later on? This isn’t just any villain, this is Black Hat,_ Cyril added. Honestly, between all the hormones and emotions, she hadn’t thought of that until now. That got her thinking for a moment. Was this really a bad move?

 _There’s no telling at this point, and what’s done is done; I can’t back out now. It could go well — in my favor, even. We’ll just have to wait and see,_ She decided, satisfied with that as an answer. Cyril straightened up, seeming to marinate on her words.

 _I suppose we will,_ He agreed, though he was still skeptical of the wiseness of her decision.

 _Don’t tell a soul about this,_ She ordered, crystalline gaze hardening.

 _I wouldn’t dream of it,_ He asserted before stepping aside to clear the hall. Dianne took the opportunity to finally pass him.

“Relax a bit, will you?” Dianne said aloud, sliding a glance at him.

“I will try, my lady,” Cyril replied. The answer did not surprise her, as he was a known worrywart. She kept his concerns at the back of her mind but wouldn’t let them consume her. Dianne walked to her desk and sat down in the chair, fearfully eyeing the telephone. Upon checking her voicemail, a robotic voice informed her that it was full. She sighed. It was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concludes the heat chapters! That means I can stop cringing at my old work... sort of.


	5. Hormones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You thought they were done boinking after her heat was over? HA.

It’d been several days with no word from Dianne. Her scent was fading from his sheets, and it bothered him deeply. Calling her was tempting, but Black Hat resisted, if only to convince himself he wasn’t obsessing over the idea of refreshing it — the idea of seeing, smelling, _feeling_ her again. Could hormones linger this long past a female’s heat? That had to be it.

Wanting to distract himself from his thoughts, he rose from his chair and decided to check in on the progress of Dr. Flug’s latest project. Black Hat learned years ago not to leave his lackeys unattended for too long. He teleported into the doctor’s lab, predictably startling him. Dr. Flug fumbled to catch the screwdriver he almost dropped in fright. “How is the improved shrink ray coming along, doctor?” Black Hat asked, folding his arms behind his back.

“It’s er… not much further than when you came in an hour ago, sir,” Flug answered with a quirked brow. Black Hat blinked and drew his lips into a hard line. Was he really that distracted? “Are you feeling alright, boss? You seem a little dis—”

“I’m fine, you nitwit!” He snapped, swiftly turning around. “Just… hurry up.” Black Hat grumbled irritably to himself, and shadows collected around him as he prepared to leave again.

“Oh! Um… sir?” Flug tentatively piped up.

“What?!” Black Hat barked, whirling around to glare daggers into his subordinate. Flug’s head sank into his shoulders.

“U-Um… 5.0.5. wanted me to tell you he needs your sheets,” He explained.

Black Hat’s eyes widened as he scrambled for some kind of excuse. Turning back around, he simply said, “I’ll have them washed tomorrow.” Fortunately, he had enough authority (and ferocity) to keep Flug from asking why, though his decision was surely suspicious. He promptly left, reappearing in his office. Black Hat sighed and rubbed at his face, but the irritation remained. He couldn’t let this… _arrangement_ get in the way of his work.

It was late afternoon. He’d been able to get back to work and was on the phone with a client when another call came in. The caller ID made his heart skip a beat. Black Hat lurched forwards to put his client on hold and take the call on the second ring. Quickly regaining his composure, he leaned back in his chair with a lazy grin. “Dianne,” He raspily greeted.

“Black Hat,” She returned smoothly.

“It’s been a while,” Black Hat said, voice holding a sultry tone. “When will I be seeing you next?” He spoke at a murmur, now.

“Tonight, if you’re able,” Dianne answered flatly. A wave of thrill washed over him, and his slacks were beginning to feel too tight.

Black Hat barely managed to keep his voice relaxed when he asked, “Same time as always?”

“Yes.”

“Perfect. I look forward to it… kitten,” He teased before hanging up.

Night had long established itself when Dianne appeared in Black Hat’s office, which was becoming more familiar than she ever thought it would. She glanced at his chair to find it was vacant this time. Was he allergic to consistency? Something caressed her outer thigh, and she jolted, fur bristling until she recognized the clawed hand. It was joined by another, and they both crept up her legs under her negligee.

“What’s all this?” The monster asked softly into her ear. She shivered.

“Something to sleep in,” Dianne answered plainly. She wouldn’t readily admit it was also for him.

“You shouldn’t have,” He toyed, lips moving to her jaw to plant a kiss there. She lifted her chin, and he nibbled at her neck. Meanwhile, a hand slid up her stomach, and she placed hers atop it. The other stroked at her clit through the thin fabric of her panties, and he ground his bulge against her cheeks. Dianne grasped his hip with her other hand as a soft moan escaped her. It was his turn to shiver; oh, how he missed that sound. “I’m going to fuck you in this,” He promised lowly. She whimpered. “Will you sing for me, pet?” Cruel claws dug into her breast, eliciting a yelp from her. “Ah, _bien,_ ” He praised.

The world went dark — darker than it already was. When soft candlelight met her eyes, she registered that he’d whisked them to his bedroom. He released her suddenly, and so she did him. The moment Dianne spun around to face him, Black Hat crashed his lips into hers. He shoved her onto the bed with his body, straddling her before he ground his clothed erection into her wet mound. She moaned into his mouth, undoing his tie before tossing it onto the floor. Sitting up, Black Hat unlatched her collar, which met the same fate. His gaze was fixated on his mark, which had mostly healed over. Not for long, he thought, leaning down again to hover his lips over it. Dianne tensed in dread-filled anticipation and turned her head away, but Black Hat merely sucked and lapped at his mark.

“Just get it over with,” She said wearily.

“Say it nicely, _pet,_ ” He ordered.

Complying, she begged, “... Please mark me, Black Hat.”

“With pleasure,” He replied, practically purring in satisfaction. Lining up his pointed teeth, Black Hat slowly sank them into her tender flesh. Dianne groaned as pain bloomed from her neck outwards, and she gripped his arm hard. Tears spilled from her eyes, which she’d squeezed shut in agony. Black Hat indulged in the wonderfully familiar sound of ragged, pained breaths while the coppery taste of blood marinated on his tongue. Dianne cried out when he wrenched his teeth from her muscle and panted to catch her breath. He soothed the wound with his smooth tongue, cleaning up the remaining crimson stains. It pulsed uncomfortably with every beat of her heart, which was finally beginning to slow its tempo.

After giving his craftsmanship a once-over, Black Hat sat up again to fondly take in her tear-stained face. “Would you like a reward?” He asked, already trailing a claw down her belly, which she easily felt through the sheer fabric.

“Yes,” Dianne breathily answered. Black Hat hooked his finger onto her panties and pulled them slowly down her legs. Once they were off, he flung them aside and brought his thumb to her nub. It rubbed in little circles, and she whimpered from his electric touch, spreading her legs further.

“You’re a little slut even when you’re not in heat,” He commented, sliding a finger into her slit, then another. She was already soaked, fluids lubricating his fingers as they pumped in and out of her entrance. His thumb continued its circling all the while, and Dianne mewled sweetly. She reached out for him, and Black Hat allowed her to touch him back, even leaning forwards so that she may undress him. His waistcoat was unbuttoned first, then his dress shirt. When she finished, he retracted his hand and shrugged off the layers of clothing, leaving him bare-chested.

He licked his fingers clean before lowering his face to her womanhood. Grasping her waist, Black Hat delved his devilish tongue between her folds. It made its way upwards, where its split tip flicked at her clit. He started wallowing the length of his tongue against it and hummed, sending vibrations up her spine. Dianne threw her head back in bliss, and with a scream, she came in seconds. Black Hat watched her crest, continuing his motions until she relaxed.

Backing up, he sat down on the bed with his back angled against the headboard, legs spread invitingly. Dianne rolled over and crawled between his legs. “Pleasure me, and I’ll fuck you like the dirty slut you are,” He said huskily, staring at her from beneath a lidded eye. His words alone sent a wave of pleasure down her spine. Dianne unbuckled his belt slowly but left the zipper untouched, cupping the painful bulge in his pants to fondle it teasingly. She then laid her tongue flat against it, licking in slow strokes. There was little stimulation to be had through the thick fabric, and she knew this well. Black Hat growled lowly in warning, which she responded to with a mischievous glance. Dancing around his ire, she finally unhooked the button and unzipped his pants, grabbing his erection to free it.

Dianne gave his shaft a few good strokes and began lapping at it slowly. Teasingly. Her tongue brushed against the head, granting him but a shock of pleasure. She met his increasingly irritated gaze with one of faint amusement. He’d pushed her buttons all throughout her heat, and she wanted a taste of payback. However, her toying was cut short by a yank of her hair, which caused her to grimace in pain.

“No more teasing, you’ve teased me enough this week,” Black Hat ordered, remembering their encounter in the shower that was followed by radio silence.

“You missed me that much?” Dianne asked playfully despite his firm grip. She continued to stroke him absentmindedly.

“I missed how my cock felt in your mouth,” He retorted. She hummed but finally did as he wanted, engulfing his length with her mouth. Black Hat’s grip relaxed and moved to cup the back of her head. He groaned softly when her tongue swirled around the tip before her head sank again. She increased the suction around his shaft and bobbed, frequently altering her rhythm to keep him on his toes. A hearty moan escaped him, and his back arched. Black Hat felt his release nearing, but he wasn’t finished with her yet.

He lifted Dianne’s head, panting lightly. After releasing his grip, he moved behind her. Black Hat shoved her head into the mattress with one hand and raised her hips with the other. However, that didn’t stop her witty question from filtering into his mind: _Are you going to fuck me now, dog?_ He chuckled, lining his tip up with her opening.

_Yes, my kitten,_ Black Hat returned. Then, he gave a deliberate push of his hips, and his length slowly entered her sopping wet pussy. Dianne hummed out a moan, and he grunted as his cock shoved her walls apart, diving deeper and deeper inside until he was hilted. Oh, how he’d craved this. Black Hat began to thrust while continuing to hold her down. He kept her hips at just the right angle, shaft stroking against that sweet spot to ignite pleasure within her like a match against a matchbox. Though muffled, Dianne’s chorus of pleasure was clear.

Black Hat picked up his pace and intensity, now slamming his cock into her soaking womanhood. “ _Fuck,_ ” She breathed, hot tears spilling onto the sheets. It was the perfect blend of pain and pleasure. Through it all, she eagerly met each thrust with her hips, and they worked themselves up the mountain.

Sensing that his own peak was over the horizon, Black Hat lewdly asked, “Do you want my cum in your little pussy?” He knew what her answer would be, but he wanted to hear her say it, so he tugged at her hair to roughly yank her head back. “Hm?”

“Y-Yes…” Dianne answered, voice quivering.

“Then you’d better start begging,” Black Hat murmured through a vicious grin into her ear, intense pace unfaltering.

“Please, Black Hat…” She breathed between moans. “Please cum inside of me.” He growled out a groan, thoroughly pleased with her compliance.

“Good girl,” He praised, shoving her head back down into the sheets. His other hand moved down to her clit and rubbed it hastily, plunging his shaft in even faster now. Dianne screamed from the added stimulation, and her walls clamped down on Black Hat’s cock. She sang out a string of moans, a song just for him while she crested. He joined her over the mountain, grinding his hips against her cheeks while his cum flooded her pussy in verdant ropes. A pleased growl tumbled from Black Hat’s chest, and his movements eventually ceased. Withdrawing his length from her, he also relinquished his hold, and Dianne’s hips sank onto the mattress.

She felt Black Hat’s weight lift from the bed and heard his closet doors open, followed by the whoosh of clothes through the still air. When she finally glanced up at him, he was in nightwear. And this time, so was she. Dianne flipped the covers back and dragged herself underneath them, and Black Hat climbed back into bed next to her. He pulled the sheets over them both, then pulled her in closer. Once they’d settled in, Dianne propped her head on her hand and took to stroking Black Hat’s chest with a claw.

“Have you caught up on work?” He asked, thumbing the fur at her waist. She was fixated on his chest, and he took the opportunity to drink in her soft features.

Meeting his gaze again, she answered, “For the most part; I should be tomorrow.” She could’ve waited until then to see him, but she didn’t want to wait any longer.

“Good.” Black Hat paused then, thinking of what to say next when he recalled their last meeting. “How have you been?” Dianne was surprised to hear him the question, but it was appreciated. She sighed.

“Exhausted. Any moment I have to sit down, I’m on the phone with a client,” She vented. Black Hat hummed. He listened but had no idea where to go from there, being a creature that talked at people instead of with them. Dianne didn’t mind, she was just glad he asked at all.

“And how have _you_ been, Black Hat?” She returned. Black Hat could only think about how distracted he’d been without her. But now he had her to himself again, and he was content — more than content, even.

“Fine,” He curtly answered. But that was a lie… wasn’t it? Dianne gave him a suspicious look.

“Just ‘fine’, hm? What could cause the infamous Lord Black Hat to merely feel ‘fine’?” Dianne asked lightheartedly.

Words danced on his tongue, but he swallowed them down and instead opted to grumble, “Even I’m not immune to imbeciles.” It wasn’t a lie, but that wasn’t what had been at the forefront of his mind the past few days. Still, Dianne seemed to accept that answer.

“Is anyone?” She asked rhetorically. Black Hat grunted. Dianne yawned then, signifying her drowsiness. Burying her face in the pillow, she wrapped her arms around him.

“You tire so easily,” Black Hat observed, and it was her turn to grunt, though the sound was muffled by the pillow. She was too tired to come up with a retort. He chuckled. “Goodnight, then.” It sounded unnatural coming from him, but it was comforting.

Tilting her head slightly, Dianne mumbled, “Goodnight.” Black Hat watched her drift off to sleep with a relaxed gaze. Her breathing changed as she fell into a deep sleep, and it was then he let his guard down for just a moment. The words he swallowed down before returned, tingling on his tongue until he finally let them out.

“I missed you.”

It was nothing more than a whisper, a confession for his ears alone. It was a fact Black Hat couldn’t deny anymore — not with her lying in his arms again. He’d never missed anyone in the countless years of his long life. What did this mean? Too tired to rack his brain about it, he laid his head down on the pillow until the questions stopped nagging him.


	6. Not-Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not a date. It's not!

"What's your favorite food?" Black Hat asked into the phone's receiver, reclined in his office chair. Dianne hummed, positive that he was only asking because he was planning something.

“Not including sweets… Shrimp, coconut breaded,” She answered. He took mental note of it.

 _It’s not a date, it’s not a date, it’s not a date—_ “I was thinking of doing something… different tonight. Bring a nice dress.”

“Fine, but don’t get blood on it. You’ve already ruined several articles of clothing.” Black Hat, being the asshole he was, laughed.

“No promises.” Dianne could practically hear him grinning. It pissed her off, so why was she smiling? "Meet me in my office at eleven."

"Alright…” She said skeptically. “See you then.”

Punctual as ever, she arrived right as the clock struck eleven. Her spiked collar was around her thigh in lieu of a lace choker on her neck. The dress she wore was a simple one, a black high low with medium-length bell sleeves. She even went to the effort of shifting her paws into gold cloven hooves.

“You don’t disappoint,” Black Hat complimented as he emerged from the shadows, eye roving her over. He was always in formal wear, but now he wore a tuxedo instead of his trench coat, and a bowtie replaced the typical neck tie. She noted his monocle had a gold rim and chain, as well. He slid an arm around her waist, and hers found their places on his chest.

“Neither do you,” Dianne returned. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Black Hat smirked. A small smile formed on her face. Dianne normally didn’t like surprises, but the anticipation she felt was pleasant, since she trusted that he had good taste. Her vision went dark as black mist swirled around them, and the pair appeared outside. The night was pleasantly cool, and insects chirped through the distant din of the town. An unmistakable sleek black car was parked next to them in the driveway, and Black Hat opened the passenger door for her. She climbed in, and he closed it.

Once he was in the driver’s seat, he started the car and set off. Dianne rested her arm on the center console, gaze fixed out the window with her chin resting in her palm. He admired her from the corner of his eye, resisting the urge to place his hand atop hers. Why the hell did he want to, anyway? He wasn’t some pining adolescent. _Eyes forward,_ he inwardly chided, and it wasn’t because he was anal about lawful driving.

He stopped behind a long line of traffic at an intersection. “Bah, there are too many of these troglodytes,” He spat. Black Hat heard the window roll down, and he looked at Dianne quizzically. She was leaning out the window, laser gun aimed at the car in front of them. Pulling the trigger, a beam shot out and shrunk it down to the size of a baseball. She continued up the line until all of the cars in front of them were rendered obsolete. People from cars in the adjacent lane screamed, and Black Hat broke out in a cackling fit.

Sitting back down, she said, “I just hate traffic.” There was a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Why haven’t I thought of that before?” Black Hat asked rhetorically. “I’m stealing your idea.” He drove carelessly over the shrunken cars, and the road became oddly bumpy all of a sudden.

With plenty of shrinking along the way, they soon arrived at a high-end restaurant — a seafood restaurant. Dianne fought back a pleased smile, but she was impressed, in truth. Black Hat had the capacity to be shockingly thoughtful. After letting her out of the car, the pair walked inside.

The host at the front desk looked up to greet them. “Good evening, how may I—” His eyes looked ready to pop out of their sockets when he recognized who he was speaking to.

“Table for two,” Black Hat said calmly. The man stood frozen like a deer in the headlights, at a complete loss for what to do. It seemed he needed a push, so Dianne pulled out her handgun from underneath her dress.

“Did he stutter?” She asked, deathly deadpan with a mocking head tilt to boot.

“O-Of course! R-R-Right this way…” He stiffly shuffled to find them a seat. Women shrieked, and the restaurant cleared like nobody's business. _Good,_ Dianne thought. They could have the place to themselves. The host sat them down at a booth by the window. "A waitress will be right with you. Please don't kill me!" A menacing grin was plastered on Black Hat's face, but Dianne appeared unamused.

"We won't. How can you serve us if you're dead? Go on now," He shooed. The man hurried away, sweating bullets.

“Well, you already know what I want,” Dianne said, referring to their earlier conversation. “What are you getting?” Black Hat studied the menu for a moment.

“I’m in the mood for some raw tenderloin,” He answered. She blinked.

“‘Raw’?” Dianne repeated incredulously. “You come to a high-end restaurant to get _raw_ meat?”

“I want it warmed up to body temperature, of course,” He said as if that would quell her concern.

“Right.”

“Is it really that strange? I drink poison, you know.”

And Dianne thought she was in disbelief before. “You’re joking.”

“I’m not.”

“That can’t taste good.”

“Have you tried poison before?”

“What do you think, Black Hat?” He shrugged.

“No, I haven’t tried poison before, and I don’t intend to,” Dianne clarified.

“Shame, I’d happily offer you some.” She glowered at him.

“I’m sure you would.” A waitress timidly approached, and the villains’ eyes, relaxed as they were, bore holes in her flesh. She wrung her hands together while shaking like a leaf in a tornado.

“W-W-What can I g-get you two t-to drink?” Christ, her stutter was even worse than the guy before her. The woman’s jaw was practically vibrating, emenating an annoying cracking sound.

“You’re not even going to introduce yourself? How rude,” Black Hat said in mock-offense. She panicked then and started blubbering about being spared. Dianne rolled her eyes.

“I don’t care what your name is. Fetch me your finest chardonnay.”

“I’ll have the same; and get yourself a glass, while you’re at it,” Black Hat added. He made sure to flash his teeth at her as he spoke. The waitress looked ready to faint any second now.

“U-Um… are you r-ready to order?”

“Coconut shimp, no sides.” Dianne said dismissively, glancing out the window as soon as the words passed her lips.

“I’ll have two eight ounce tenderloins, raw, but warm them to body temperature,” Black Hat instructed. “Get it right, or you’ll become my meal instead.”

The waitress finished scribbling their orders down, then scurried off. A minute later, she returned with the wine. Dianne did her best to pretend the woman didn’t exist until she was out of sight again.

“What’s the matter?” He asked.

Glancing back at him, she said, “Humans tend to put me in a bad mood.” Black Hat sensed that he was prodding at a deep wound and decided to switch topics.

“What puts you in a good mood, then?” He removed the cork with unnatural ease and poured them each a glass. Dianne picked hers up and gave it a few swirls as she thought.

“Well, I am in the hobby of breeding snakes. They’re pleasant creatures.” She took a sip of wine.

“They are. I have a snake, myself.”

“Really? What kind?” Dianne’s voice remained even, but he noticed her eyes light up. And for some reason, that made him feel… good.

“Unlike anything you’ve seen before,” Black Hat teased.

“Show me sometime.”

“I will… if you show me your collection.” She snorted. How foolish of her to think he’d do anything for free.

“Deal.” A pause. She took another sip, and Black Hat downed his glass in one gulp. Dianne decided not to comment on it. She also decided she wouldn’t be drinking any more tonight. “And what about you?”

“Hm?” He was pouring himself another glass.

“Have any hobbies aside from torturing the innocent?” He chuckled.

“I enjoy playing the violin.”

“I’ve never tried string instruments, but I occasionally play the piano… and sing.” She was tentative about the latter bit.

“I know, I heard you a few nights ago.” Dianne’s face heated up, and her tail flicked.

“ _Black Hat,_ ” She chided. His pointed smile looked like it’d slice his face in half. Soon enough, the vibrator on legs was back with their meals. Too frightened to speak, she dished out their plates without a word.

“Much appreciated,” Black Hat thanked politely. It did nothing to calm her down. The woman turned to leave. “Wait.” She squeaked like a rat, reluctantly turning back around. He picked up a steak with his fork and flicked at it with his tongue. Narrowing his eye, he opened his jaws startlingly wide and stuck the whole thing in his mouth. He appeared to be judging it carefully, though he only chewed a few times before swallowing. “Ah, nevermind. It’s perfect.” He smiled innocently, signalling for the woman to take her leave. Her relief was akin to someone who narrowly avoided being voted off of a game show. She walked away on wobbly legs.

_Bang._

The woman’s body collapsed on the ground, and blood seeped from the bullet wound in the back of her head. Screams could be heard from the staff in the back. Black Hat bursted into laughter, effectively taken off-guard like an audience member at a stand-up comedy routine.

“What was that for?” He asked genuinely, turning to Dianne.

“We didn’t need her anymore. It’s better than being mauled,” She answered as if she were being merciful. Putting down her firearm, she delicately picked up a shrimp by the tail and took a bite.

“How is it?”

“It’s good, thank you.”

“Good.” While Dianne took her time, Black Hat downed his second steak.

She couldn’t stay quiet about it this time. “Why do you inhale your food?”

“Why _don’t_ you inhale your food?” He asked in turn.

“Because I eat solely for taste.”

“Was that a pun?”

“You’re deflecting.”

“These teeth aren’t made for chewing,” He answered partly, then swigged his second glass of wine.

Dianne forewent pointing out how no one chews drinks to instead say, “You could’ve asked if you wanted me to drive back.”

“Come now, Dianne. I’m a gentleman.”

“I’m getting mixed signals on that one.”

“I didn’t say I was a human. You’d be surprised at what it takes to get me drunk.”

“Yes, I suppose I would.”

“I can show you when we get back, but only if you join me,” He said slyly. She returned his gaze, contemplating.

“Do I want to go into work with a wine hangover tomorrow?” Dianne pondered aloud. tapping her chin.

“Oh, live a little. You and I need a break, and you know it.” Smooth talker. She sighed.

“Alright, fine,” Dianne caved, taking another, heartier sip. “Happy?”

“Very.” His grin turned devilish. Her loins were already on fire. Was she getting tipsy?

When she finished eating, they stood to leave. Dianne felt lightheaded as her blood pressure flipped. She finished off her glass of wine, then haphazardly tossed it at the woman’s corpse. It shattered when it hit the floor. Black Hat offered his arm, and she gratefully took it. They walked out into the vacant parking lot, Dianne on unsteady legs. Black Hat said nothing and merely watched her amusedly.

They climbed into the car, and he began the drive back home. “That was fun. Thank you,” Dianne said, a bit loose-lipped.

“Oh, the fun’s only just begun,” Black Hat assured with a sinister expression, claws digging into the steering wheel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another two-parter. Stay tuned! >:3c
> 
> Also, expect a lot more time in-between updates, as I'm now at the point where I'm still in the process of writing future chapters.


	7. Whine Drunk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SUPER happy with how this chapter turned out! I don't think they are, though...

As the car ride went on, Dianne became progressively more and more drunk. She rolled down the window and shot aimlessly at pedestrians and cars. Black Hat watched and enjoyed the chaos that ensued. Vehicles crashed, people wailed — the whole lot. When she was out of bullets, she sat back down, slurring about “Goddamn humans”.

Finally, they were back at Black Hat’s manor. When Dianne stood up, she nearly lost her balance and leaned on him to catch herself. “You sure are a lightweight,” Black Hat commented as he picked her up.

“Put me down, I can walk,” She ordered. To her surprise, he obliged and lowered her so her hooves were on the ground again.

"Fine then, after you." He gestured to the door with his hand and gave her what looked like a genuine expression. Dianne took one step forward and wobbled, yet she stubbornly kept going. Equilibrium be damned, she lost her balance again and fell. In one smooth motion, Black Hat extended his arm to catch her, then lifted her in his arms again. He grinned smugly at her, smiling so hard his gums were showing.

Dianne became flustered and hid her face from him. "Shut up," She quipped.

"I didn't say anything," He returned, expression unchanged.

"Your stupid face said enough. Can we go inside already?" Her tail was thrashing around in blatant irritation, or was it anxiety? Either way, her discomfort satisfied his pride despite the drunken insult, so Black Hat transported them inside without another word.

It took Dianne a moment to register they were in his bedroom again. He set her down on the bed, where she asked, “Where’s the booze?” Black Hat opened one side of his tuxedo and shoved his arm into the inner side. Strangely, it disappeared from view. She assumed he was reaching into some kind of pocket dimension. He rummaged around for a few moments before pulling out a bottle of vodka.

"Why'dyou keep it in there?"

"I'd rather saw my cock off than let Demencia into my alcohol store."

"... What?"

"The lizard cretin in my catalogue, you haven't had the displeasure of meeting her. You're welcome."

"Ah. Well thanks, I guess. Let me see." Dianne reached out a hand, and he handed the bottle to her. Her eyes scanned the label, and they widened when they landed on the alcohol content. "... _190_ proof?" She read aloud, incredulous. "Fucking Christ, just down some rubbing alcohol while you're at it."

"This is stronger, actually. Otherwise, I would." He corrected. "I told you it takes a lot to get me drunk." In her stupor, Black Hat took the bottle and opened it. Not even bothering to grab a glass, he tossed it back and dumped it straight down his gullet. When he finished, he found Dianne staring slack-jawed at him, then the half-empty bottle.

"Doesn't that burn?" She finally asked.

"Of course it does. My throat is in the sixth circle of Hell right now," He answered, voice somehow even hoarser than usual. His pain tolerance was unfathomable. Black Hat stuck his tongue out in distaste and slammed the bottle down on the nightstand. Then, he peeled off his coat and dropped it unceremoniously on the floor. Dianne unsteadily rose to her knees and caressed her hands up his abdomen to his chest. They unbuttoned his waistcoat on their journey, which he shrugged off.

She craned her neck to bring her face closer to his, lips parted just a whisper in a silent request. Black Hat leaned down to capture them and crawled over top of her, and Dianne savored the feeling of his cool skin against her flushed flesh. He pressed his body against hers to guide her down onto the bed, their jaws meshing together all the while. She wrapped her arms around his back, and their tongues met and swirled around for a moment before Black Hat pulled back. He moved his jaws to Dianne's neck and began to nibble at it, eliciting a whimper from her. His gloved hands pushed up her dress to rub her hips. He had her in a trance, she was under his spell, and yet...

"Wait." He waited, lifting his head to look at her curiously. "I wanna wait until you're shitfaced." Black Hat chuckled at her starkly different verbiage.

"Alright," He agreed, moving off of her to lie facing her on his side with the side of his head resting on his knuckles. "What now, then?" A hand caressed her hip, dipping under her panties to feel the soft fur underneath.

"I just wanna… talk."

"'Talk'?"

"Yes."

"About what?"

"I dunno, anything. Like… tell me more about this lizard girl." Black Hat groaned.

"Ugh, her. I don't even want to _think_ about her right now."

"Why not?" Dianne prompted.

"Demencia is a walking cataclysm. It's nigh impossible to contain her or keep her out of anything. She's fucking _obsessed_ with me, and while I can't blame her, I feel sick hearing her drivel on about this 'love' nonsense twenty-four seven," He ranted.

"Why keep her around, then?"

"Because people pay heaps to have her exterminate heroes or rob a place for them. If not for that, she'd be six thousand feet under." She hummed in understanding.

"So that's why you say the house is always chaotic?" Dianne asked next.

"Largely, yes. But everyone here has shit for brains."

"What about Dr. Flug?"

"He's included in 'everyone'." Before she could ask why, Black Hat elaborated. "Flug is brilliant when it comes to science — almost inhuman, even. But with anything else, he's as smooth-brained as Demencia."

"I see."

Wanting to talk about anything else, he asked, "What's it like at your place?"

"Quiet. I have a butler and some maids. They stay out of the way and don't say much."

"Lucky girl."

"Aren't I?" She paused, thinking. "It gets boring, though. Sometimes I wish I had someone around who'd stir up trouble just to keep my mind from going dull."

"Take Demencia, I beg you."

She sneered. "Not that much trouble." They both laughed, and Black Hat took note of her hyena-esq giggle. It was such a rare sound, he wouldn't soon forget it. "You've been around quite some time, yeah?"

"That's putting it lightly."

"Got any good stories?" He hummed, scanning his worn memory.

…

"You destroyed Pompeii over _that_?" Dianne asked.

"I was fucking irate. Felt great afterwards though, you should try it sometime," Black Hat reminisced.

"... Hey, what's under your hat?"

"Nice try— Hey!" She snatched his top hat and was disappointed to find a fedora underneath it. "Blasted bitch!" Dianne laughed, and he took his hat back to sloppily place it back on his crown.

"Just checking," She said with a devilish smile. In a flash, Black Hat reached out to unlatch her collar... with great difficulty. He sharpened his claws as if that would help somehow. They tore through his gloves and her skin. Dianne hissed in pain. "That fucking hurts, Ass Hat."

"Hold still, I've got it," He grumbled. Finally, it came off. "Just checking," Black Hat mocked.

"You already know what my neck looks like, idiot." He frowned at that.

"You need to remember your place, _pet_." Tendrils erupted from his back and grabbed her wrists, flinging them above her head. Their airtight grip was cutting off the circulation to her hands. Black Hat straddled her and unzipped his trousers to release his cock, except now there were three. The tentacle-esq appendages writhed with excitement. He grinned madly and stared down at her with a crazed look in his eye, which was now black with a tiny red pupil. With his razor-sharp claws, he ripped her panties to shreds. They scratched her to the point of bleeding. Dianne yelped in pain, and he licked the blood from his fingers.

Her heart was pounding against her sternum, eyes wide in fear. "B-Black Hat?" She tentatively asked.

"Yes, my kitten?" He returned nonchalantly, voice monstrous and garbled. Countless saws and blades extended from his body. They reached nearer and nearer, and Dianne could feel her entire body quaking like a leaf in a tornado. She squeezed her eyes shut, and the sound of buzzsaws whirring roared in her ears.

And that was the last thing she remembered.

…

Dianne woke up slowly. Reluctantly. She tried to open her eyes, but the light pierced her corneas like lasers. Eventually, she was able to coax them open. Her vision was blurry at first, and it took a while for it to focus. As it did, she felt an oncoming headache like someone was knocking on the inside of her skull with each beat of her heart. Once she grew somewhat accustomed to that lovely sensation, pain from all over her body flooded her nerves. She groaned.

It was odd. Dianne expected the dull ache in her loins, but the intensity of it was nearly unbearable. Her limbs stung in specific places. No, it was her stomach, too. Her breasts, fuck, even her face was stinging! Peering down at herself, she gasped. Her dress was torn to bits, and she was caked in her own blood. She drew in an arm to look at it and found scratches all over it. Moving hurt too much, so she collapsed back onto the bed with her eyes closed, panting to catch her breath. Her limbs were trembling, heart thumping again.

“Dianne,” A raspy voice uttered. Her eyes shot open. She started but immediately regretted it as more pain overcame her. Dianne honed in on the source of the sound.

Black Hat.

She watched him like a cornered rabbit, hyperventilating in fear. Snippets of the torture that ensued last night flashed before her eyes: A hellish thrust. A plead to stop. A shallow cut along her breast. A scream. A flesh-tearing slash. Blood, crimson splatters. A savage bite to her throat. Climax.

Darkness.

“ _Dianne_ ,” He repeated, concern in his eye. Black Hat reached for her face, but she flinched away. She wasn’t okay. Why wasn’t she okay? He’d laid with demons before. They healed fast, almost as fast as he did. Yet, her wounds had only partially healed. That… _bothered_ him. No, it was more than that, wasn’t it? It… _upset_ him to see that her wounds hadn’t healed. Why?

 _Time and place,_ Black Hat inwardly chided. “Why haven’t your wounds healed?” He finally asked aloud, struggling to keep his voice even. He could see her breath catch in her chest, and it took her a moment to answer.

“I… I just… heal slowly.” Dianne looked to the floor.

 _“Fuck,”_ He breathed. Black Hat rose to stand. “Stay there.” He went to take a step when he looked down at himself, caked in blood. _Her_ blood. He sped into the bathroom and tore his clothes off, which fell to the floor in pieces. Hastily, he scrubbed himself clean of the dried blood in the shower. When he re-entered the bedroom, he summoned his usual attire from the closet. Finally, he teleported to Flug’s lab — specifically, a restricted section that contained controlled substances from poisons to prescription medication.

Black Hat searched frantically through the medicine cabinets, just barely restraining himself enough to keep from tearing them off the hinges.

“U-Um… Sir?” A shaky voice spoke up. He froze in place. _Shit._

 _“What?”_ His voice was clearly strained, and he whipped his head unnaturally in the doctor’s direction with a grotesque crack.

“What are you looking for?” _Shit fuck._ He needed an excuse, and a good one. His mind flashed to last night’s conversation about Demencia, and he donned a facade of calmness.

“I’m checking to make sure Demencia didn’t get into the opiates again.”

“But I normally do that—”

“Yes, but I do it better and faster. She’s been getting into things a lot recently, and I don’t want to deal with her high as a kite again. Do you doubt me?”

“O-Of course not, boss!” Dr. Flug’s back straightened like a board, and he was beginning to sweat anxiously.

“Good.” Black Hat turned back to his search, and the doctor left him to it. Once he was sure Flug was away, he grabbed an opiate and disappeared back to his bathroom. After filling up a cup of water, he returned to Dianne, who was lying on her side.

“Here.” He held out his hand. She opened her eyes and slowly, painfully sat up. Then, she took the pill from him and popped it in her mouth, grabbing the cup to chase it down with water. She wasn’t looking at him. He needed to say something.

“I… didn’t mean to hurt you so severely.” Dianne didn’t move an inch, nor did she say a word. This entire situation was so foreign to him. Even offering an explanation felt… unnatural. Since when did he ever need to explain his misdeeds? Since when did he ever regret them? Black Hat mentally shook the thoughts away.

Finally, she spoke. “... I want a safe word.” That caught him off-guard.

“Like what?”

“How about ‘stop’?” She snapped, finally flicking her eyes to look at him. “Have you no fucking self control?!” Black Hat clenched his jaw.

“You wanted to see me drunk. You got what you asked for—”

“You’re right, fuck me for that,” She interjected, voice dripping with sarcasm. “I deserve to be torn to shreds for not having fucking future vision! It’s not like you roped me into getting drunk in the first place!” Her voice had risen in volume and octave.

Black Hat felt ire rising inside of him like simmering water that was beginning to boil. “I thought your bloody wounds would be gone by the morning! You’re not my first rodeo fucking a demon, it’s not my fault you’re shit at healing!” The offense was clear in her expression, but he couldn’t be damned to care.

“That’s not all this is about!”

“Then what is it, woman?!”

Her voice was starkly softer when she elaborated. “Even if I healed by morning… I wouldn’t be able to heal what you put me through.” Realization hit him hard, and his expression softened. He wasn’t sure what to think of himself for that, either.

“You nearly killed me last night, Black Hat.” Silence. It drew out between them for what felt like an hour.

Dianne was the one to break it. “Did you know?” Her voice was a whisper, now.

“What?”

“Did you know this would happen?”

Hesitantly, he answered, “... I knew it was a possibility, yes.” Dianne shook her head and glanced away again. Was she really disappointed in him? _Him?_ “Just who the hell do you think I am, Dianne?” He asked irritably. She thought on that for a moment. Maybe she  _did_ forget who she was dealing with. Cyril’s words echoed in her mind:

_This isn’t just any villain, this is **Black Hat.**_

He was _the_ Black Hat — the “destroys entire planets because he’s bored” Black Hat. The Black Hat who had enslaved countless civilizations, killed _trillions_ of lifeforms. Hell, she just listened to him tell the story about how he blew Pompeii off the map because of some trivial bullshit! Maybe she was a damned fool. But he made it easy to forget, didn’t he? Her own irritation spiked.

“You make it easy to forget when you insist on having me in your bed and then take me on a _date,"_   She retorted. Black Hat had nothing on that, even he couldn’t pinpoint what was going on with him... so he switched topics.

“Can you stand?” She tried to push herself off of the bed but winced in pain and gave up. He sighed.

“Just… take me to the bathroom so I can wash up. Please.”

Black Hat lifted her as carefully as he could and carried her into the master bathroom. He sat down on the closed toilet lid with her in his lap. With a snap of his fingers, the bathtub began to fill with hot water. They sat in silence; the only sound to fill the room was the running faucet. Once the tub was full enough, he shut it off. Black Hat stood up and set her down, and Dianne braced against him with the legs of a newborn fawn. She grimaced as he peeled the remnants of her dress off of her, little flakes of blood coming off with it.

He placed her in the bathtub, and Dianne wailed as the hot water reignited her wounds. Surprising himself, Black Hat winced at the sound. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Without another word, he turned to sit down again with crossed arms. He wanted to be sure she didn’t croak in the tub, but he wasn’t her parent; she could still bathe herself. And so she did. The silence between them returned, and there was nothing but the gentle sloshing of water to drown it out, now.

“... Would you have stopped if you were sober?” The question caught him off-guard. He pondered. If it were someone else? No. He hadn’t in the past. But for some reason, now… for her…

“Yes.”

That seemed to satisfy her. Dianne fell silent again and continued scrubbing, being mindful around her numerous wounds. By the time she was finished, the water was a sickly pink with flecks of her own blood floating at the surface. “I’m finished,” She announced. Black Hat rose and neared the tub, looking her over with a sharp eye.

“You still have dried blood in your hair,” He observed. She stared at the opposite wall and snorted.

“Yes, well, my arms feel like they’re about to fall off, so I’ll just have to live with it.”

“Nonsense,” Black Hat said, dropping to kneel by the tub. He shrugged off his coat, which he simply allowed to fall to the floor. She turned back to look at him and found him removing his gloves. “Lie back,” He ordered, rolling up his sleeves.

“You don’t have to—”

“Lie back,” He repeated, tone oddly soothing despite its grating nature. After a moment of hesitation, she obeyed. Black Hat dipped his hands beneath the water and began rubbing at the curly locks to remove the blood that clung to them. His motions were skilled and careful, relaxing. She could’ve fallen asleep right then and there. But Black Hat spoke up again, coaxing her eyes to open.

“It’d be unacceptable for you to go into work like this,” He rationalized aloud. It was for himself as much as her to hear. They were business partners, it’d reflect badly on him if she looked a mess. That’s all it was. Black Hat pulled the plug once he was finished.

He was about to lift her out of the tub when Dianne said, “Wait. You have to wring it out.” He blinked but did as she said, albeit a bit too roughly. She couldn’t expect much from a creature that lacked hair. Finally, he picked her up again and set her down on the toilet, then handed her a towel to dry herself with.

“You really didn’t have to do that.”

“I know.”

“... Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” There was a threatening glint in his eye when he said that.

“Trust me, I don’t intend to,” She returned flatly. Dianne sighed, signifying that she was as dry as she was going to get. Fur was a pain to get completely dry. She didn’t blame Black Hat for choosing a hairless form.

“What are you going to wear?”

“Nothing, I guess.” He raised a brow, so she added, “I’ll appear in my bedroom, it’s fine.” She dropped the towel and stood up to grab her handgun and collar, which Black Hat had placed on the counter. This was the part where they usually talked about when they would meet up again, but the air around them still felt too tense for that kind of conversation.

“I’ll… call you,” Were the words she decided to go with. Black Hat nodded in both acknowledgement and understanding. Dianne ripped a portal and stepped through it, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time for them right now. He got to cleaning up the bathroom, then stepped into the bedroom when he was done to glance at the bed. The mattress was covered in claw marks and slashes, revealing the insulation. It was a lost cause, too much time had passed for him to restore it to the state it was in before. But this wasn’t the first time blood and various other bodily fluids had found their way on his bed, so that didn’t require an explanation — not from him, anyway. Shrouding himself in shadows, he appeared in the kitchen to start off the wretched day.

Dianne got dressed without too much difficulty, as the painkiller had set in and did a damn good job. She looked at herself in a mirror, and god did she look a mess. She didn’t have the time nor the energy to do her hair. Lacking conditioner, it was frizzy as all get out. She settled with putting it up in a ponytail — it looked childish in her opinion, but she couldn’t afford to be picky. There was a scratch on her cheek that makeup could not hope to cover, so she braced herself for Cyril’s hovering before tearing another portal to enter her office.

“Lady Dianne!” Came his relief-filled voice as soon as her portal closed. Dianne took in a deep breath, already exhausted before the conversation truly started. “I’m glad to see you in one piece. Are you alright?”

“Yes, fine, thank you, Cyril,” She said dismissively, moving stiffly to sit in her chair.

“Is that a scratch on your cheek?” He asked, aghast.

“It is,” Dianne answered nonchalantly, keeping her eyes glued on the papers she was rearranging.

“... Lady Dianne.”

“Later, _please_ Cyril. It’s been a long morning, and I need to start working.” She was not about to have another argument right now. The day had hardly even started, for fuck’s sake. He sighed but gave a bow.

“Alright. Please let me know if you need anything.”

“I will.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know.”

With that, he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate title: Black Hat tries and fails to not be an irredeemable asshole.
> 
> This is easily my longest chapter. Ideally, they'll stay around this length since things are developing more, but who knows.


End file.
